Legislation -
Bill Passed
(House)
(227-183) -
Aug. 4, 2007(Key vote)

Vote Result

Yea Votes

Nay Votes

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes the U.S. to monitor foreign electronic communications routed through the country.

Highlights:

Permits the Director of National Intelligence and the Attorney General to authorize, for periods up to a year, foreign intelligence acquisition concerning those reasonably believed to be outside of the U.S., provided that (Sec. 2):

Written certification is presented that the procedure does not constitute electronic surveillance under existing law;

The surveillance is made with the assistance of a communications provider; and

The significant purpose of the acquisition is to obtain foreign intelligence information.

Requires procedures to be developed to verify the location of those reasonably believed to be located outside the U.S. (Sec. 2).

Does not require the written certification to identify the specific premises in which the intelligence acquisition will be directed (Sec. 2).

Requires the Attorney General to submit for review the location verification procedures established in this act to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court within 120 days of passage, and requires the court to approve of the procedures within 180 days of passage (Sec. 3).

Allows the court, if it deems the verification procedures erroneous, to issue an order directing the Government to submit new procedures within 30 days (Sec. 3).

Legislation -
Bill Passed
(Senate)
(60-28) -
Aug. 3, 2007(Key vote)

Vote Result

Yea Votes

Nay Votes

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes the U.S. to monitor foreign electronic communications routed through the country.

Highlights:

Permits the Director of National Intelligence and the Attorney General to authorize, for periods up to a year, foreign intelligence acquisition concerning those reasonably believed to be outside of the U.S., provided that (Sec. 2):

Written certification is presented that the procedure does not constitute electronic surveillance under existing law;

The surveillance is made with the assistance of a communications provider; and

The significant purpose of the acquisition is to obtain foreign intelligence information.

Requires procedures to be developed to verify the location of those reasonably believed to be located outside the U.S. (Sec. 2).

Does not require the written certification to identify the specific premises in which the intelligence acquisition will be directed (Sec. 2).

Requires the Attorney General to submit for review the location verification procedures established in this act to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court within 120 days of passage, and requires the court to approve of the procedures within 180 days of passage (Sec. 3).

Allows the court, if it deems the verification procedures erroneous, to issue an order directing the Government to submit new procedures within 30 days (Sec. 3).